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1952 M135 W/Winch

USMC 00-08

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Skiatook, OK
I finished my airpak rebuild and got it, all new front brake hoses and the new master cylinder installed today. Bled everything and took the truck for a short run down the street. What a huge improvement in braking!!! I only have the front brakes hooked up at the moment to sort out that wheel cylinder issue, but still stopped great. 6 wheels working will be something else.

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USMC 00-08

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Skiatook, OK
Thank you. I had to use a combination of 2 G749 airpaks and 1 M809 airpak to make this one. I do have a few good parts left over, so if you are looking for something after you tear into yours, let me know.
 

USMC 00-08

Well-known member
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Location
Skiatook, OK
Haha! It is the movie trailer to H3ll is for Heroes if you want to search for a version on youtube they will let you watch. A WW2 movie, but at that point in the trailer, there is a big line of shiny, new looking M135's driving down the road. I have never seen that many M135's in one place....except for maybe at your place. ;-)
 
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Another Ahab

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Alexandria, VA
Check out the convoy of trucks at 0:44. Not quite WW2 era, but still beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsfiB-X6J7c
Getting it "right" doesn't always worry Hollywood too much:

- Funny but I don't remember this movie from the whole WWII era of Hollywood films (Longest Day, Bridge Too Far, Dirty Dozen, et al)

- But it's got an all-star cast (McQueen, Fess Parker, Coburn, even Bob Newhart which is a hoot); I'm guessing this is before any of them went big.
 

m1010plowboy

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This link works for me and at :57 seconds the 1950's deuces roll into the screen of a WW11 movie that states....This is a true story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6WcUk2Mu0g

So I did the research and this is more evidence that Hollywood had their own Philadelphia experiment or borrowed one. It's the same experiment I'm using for the grab bars. I won't actually get around to sending them to you for several months from now but you should somehow receive a set any day now.
 

Another Ahab

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Location
Alexandria, VA
What else about the move that's funny, is it was clearly filmed in southern California or some other dry kind of territory (the trees -Joshua?- and the tall grasses give it away), and that sure isn't any Siegfried Line kind of European countryside (even WITH the dragons teeth). Hollywood is a hoot sometimes.
 

USMC 00-08

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Location
Skiatook, OK
Plowboy...those handles came in on Wednesday. Thank you so much for sending them!!
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I was able to get the truck out for a short drive yesterday and so far the brake system is still working great. I'm still making sure those new front wheel cylinders don't decided to leak again before I hook up the backs.

Last weekend I finally experienced dead batteries on these that are less than 2 years old. After a trickle charge they were ready to go again, but I am probably going to get this Battery Tender to avoid future problems and hopefully extend battery life.
Battery Tender.jpg

Does anyone know of any reason why I should not use this particular product?
 

m1010plowboy

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Edmonton, Canada
Battery maintenance

The handles went to the west coast first by the looks of the tracking info. West to Richmond B.C. then across the map over to your place in about 5 days. Sounds like a great trip. If a 200lb box shows up on your step, could you open it and get me a glass of water?

Are there any reviews online about that battery tender you're showing?

Now that some of my gear is off-grid I've been using a cheap solar panel hooked up to a 12v battery for camper lights inside a storage shed. The battery was already 5 years old and it's been on the panel for 2 years now so solar seems to work for maintaining. Last year the battery saw a few weeks of -20C so keeping it plugged into the panel has kept it happy. Busy batteries just seem to last longer.

Lots of options on 120v maintainers and now more options on solar, I'm leaning toward getting the batteries their own solar stations.

In the meantime, after fighting with and blowing up cheap chargers for decades, I invested in this beast. We pull batteries off mowers, tillers, trailers, RC's and tractors every fall or they loose power and freeze every winter. It's a pain so bringing the maintenance to the battery would be so much easier.




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USMC 00-08

Well-known member
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180
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Location
Skiatook, OK
Made a little more progress on the truck today. Got the cargo bed pulled off so I can start getting the truck ready for paint this spring/summer.
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A welder friend of mine is coming over next weekend if all goes as planned to weld up non-original holes in the cab, hardtop and cracks in the hood.

I've got a u-joint on the front drive shaft letting me know it is about at the end of its service life, so I need to track down a part number and get a new one. PUJ 330 may be a good part number but I am not sure . Also need a new pinion seal on the middle axle.
 

USMC 00-08

Well-known member
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Location
Skiatook, OK
We got some welding done yesterday. The wind and the welder were not cooperating so we did not get it all done. We'll try to finish up here soon.
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I can't believe how many holes get drilled in these trucks over the years. Everything non-original is getting welded up.

These are what were mounted to the doors. I'm going back with the original mirrors.
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m1010plowboy

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Edmonton, Canada
It's motivation like this that gets others off the vinyl chair and in the field. I'd like to sand the window frames for ya!

Those mirrors match the ones I had on my 72' Chev. I wonder if they're chrome underneath? Can't believe how straight everything looks. Even that spot between the front fender and the step that gets rotted out looks good on yours. We've got to find a way to get a hard top for that girl.

Who's on the East Coast coming up to visit the Tar Sands for holidays this year and has room for a hard top? I'm trying hard to head East to surprise CMPman with an overdue visit so maybe I can drop one above the lakes somewhere.

Are you set up to paint? Compressor, hoses, scaffold (forklift), stir stick, strainer, screen filter, viscosity measuring tool, gun, rubber gloves, tape(3m) window covers, razor blade, breathing apparatus, mixing pail, storage pail, mixing table, measuring pails/ stick, clean-up rags, good lighting, a fan, garbage bag and 6 hours?

The last one I did was outdoors with a Wagner and a generator and it worked just fine.

Top/ Center of the roof is a bear to get 90° to if you're not over-top of it. I tried standing on the big ladder beside the truck and doing the reach and drift spray technique.....silly. Standing on the frame rails doesn't get the arm up enough to catch the front of the roof so "forklift flying" was the fun solution to access down the middle/top areas.

Get er done.
 

USMC 00-08

Well-known member
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Location
Skiatook, OK
I'd gladly let you help! This has been quite the project for me. It will probably be another month before my friend can get back to finish up the welding. In the mean time I am going to have to learn how to break down these two piece rims and start putting newer tires on before the heat sets in.

I'm not sure what those mirrors are from since both are different. If anyone needs one or both, let me know as I have no use for them now.

I did end up finding a hardtop over the summer. It's not in too bad of shape. I could use a second one for project #2, but no hurry on that. I still have to bring it the 375 miles out here from where I have kept it for the last 10 years.
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This truck and project #2 are pretty straight as far as dents and rust go but are ugly right now. This truck has the usual rust above the toolbox, so I need to figure out how to remedy that. Bondo or cut out and replace????

Project#2 (#4984 in my signature and also my first M135)
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As for painting, I have the color matched up, have the compressor and most of the basic stuff. I need to read up in the Paint and Bodywork section and figure out what sprayer to use and try to learn the tricks everyone else has already figured out. I am going to try my hardest to paint as early in the year as I can so that the paint can cure over the summer. Soldier B said she can hardly wait to start sanding the truck down with me. We even bought her her own personal orbital sander. Now we get to see how long she stays interested in sanding after her first dose of it.
 

USMC 00-08

Well-known member
1,183
180
63
Location
Skiatook, OK
Getting geared up to do some more welding in a few weeks, I ran across this. It appeared to be some small bubbles at first until I started pushing on it with my finger.
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This is on the passenger side above the toolbox. What is the best way to go about fixing this? One of my parts trucks possibly has this part rust free, however I am not sure what all would be involved removing this whole side of the cab. Has anyone repaired this piece or changed that side of the cab for a better one? I would appreciate advice here.

My missing rear bumpers, airlines and gladhands were pulled from a parts truck in my quest to complete this truck.
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I got a little sidetracked and ended up working on this. It is a WW2 can, but was also the kind used in the Korean War, so I thought it might look cool with the truck someday. I used TM9 paint from Midwest Military.

http://store.midwestmilitary.com/product-p/tm9-03.htm

Before
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During
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After
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